Architectural material

ABSTRACT

A panel material includes a laminated panel including a board and first and second metal sheets attached to opposite first and second surfaces of the board, respectively. The first metal sheet has a main segment, an end segment, and a bent segment fitted into a board recess in the first surface of the board. The second metal sheet has a main segment, and an extension that has a main portion and a folded end portion having first and second segments overlapping each other.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a panel material, more particularly to a panel material including a laminated panel having a board and a metal sheet with a bent segment fitted into a recess in the board.

2. Description of the Related Art

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a laminated panel of a conventional architectural material 1 that includes a board 11 having first and second surfaces 112, 111, a first metal sheet 12 that is attached to the first surface 112 of the board 11 and that has a main segment 122 and an end segment 121, and a second metal sheet 13 having a main segment 131 attached to the second surface 111 of the board 11, and an extension 132 extending from the main segment 131. The main segment 122 of the first metal sheet 12 has a height relative to the second surface 111 of the board 11 greater than that of the end segment 121 of the first metal sheet 12, and cooperates with the end segment 121 to define an insert recess 124.

In use, when two of the laminated panels of the architectural material 1 are assembled together, the extension 132 of the second metal sheet 13 of one of the laminated panels is fitted into the insert recess 124 in the first metal sheet 12 of the other of the laminated panels. The conventional architectural material 1 is disadvantageous in that rain water or moisture tends to penetrate into the insert recess 124, thereby resulting in corrosion of cut ends 1211 of the end segments 121 of the first metal sheet 12 and cut ends 133 of the extensions 132 of the second metal sheet 13 of the laminated panels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a panel material that can overcome the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art.

According to the present invention, a panel material comprises a laminated panel including a board and first and second metal sheets. The board has opposite first and second surfaces, and is formed with a board recess indented from the first surface. The first metal sheet is attached to the first surface of the board, and has a main segment, an end segment, and a bent segment that extends between and that is bent from the main segment and the end segment so as to protrude therefrom and that is fitted into the board recess. The second metal sheet has a main segment that is attached to the second surface of the board, and an extension that extends laterally from the main segment, that is disposed to extend laterally of the board, and that has a main portion and a folded end portion extending from the main portion and having first and second segments overlapping each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of a laminated panel of a conventional architectural material;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary assembled sectional view illustrating the configuration of two assembled laminated panels of the conventional architectural material;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the preferred embodiment of a laminated panel of a panel material according to this invention; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary assembled sectional view illustrating the configuration of two assembled laminated panels of the panel material of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 3 illustrates the preferred embodiment of a panel material, such as an architecture material, according to this invention.

The architectural material includes a laminated panel 2 including a board 23 and first and second metal sheets 21, 22. The board 23 has opposite first and second surfaces 232, 231, and is formed with a board recess 233 indented from the first surface 232. The first metal sheet 21 is attached to the first surface 232 of the board 23, and has a main segment 212, an end segment 211, and a bent segment 213 that extends between and that is bent from the main segment 212 and the end segment 211 so as to protrude therefrom and that is fitted into the board recess 233. The second metal sheet 22 has a main segment 221 that is attached to the second surface 231 of the board 23, and an extension 222 that extends laterally from the main segment 221, that is disposed to extend laterally of the board 23, and that has a main portion 223 and a folded end portion 224 extending from the main portion 223 and having first and second segments 2241, 2242 overlapping each other.

In this embodiment, the first surface 232 of the board 23 has a main section 2321, an end section 2322, and a recessed section 2323 that defines the board recess 233 and that extends between and that cooperates with the main section 2321 and the end section 2322 to define first and second steps 2324, 2325, respectively. The first and second steps 2324, 2325 are proximate to the main and end sections 2321, 2322, respectively. The first step 2324 has a height relative to a bottom of the recessed section 2323 that is greater than that of the second step 2325.

Preferably, the first and second metal sheets 21, 22 are made from a material selected from the group consisting of a zinc-plated steel sheet, an aluminum-plated steel sheet, an aluminum zinc-plated steel sheet, an aluminum zinc magnesium-plated steel sheet, a paint coated steel sheet, a paint coated aluminum alloy sheet, and combinations thereof.

Preferably, the board 23 is made from a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and combinations thereof.

FIG. 4 illustrates the configuration of an architectural material assembly including two of the laminated panels 2 (referred hereinafter as first and second laminated panels 2) of the preferred embodiment. In the architectural material assembly, the bent segment 213 of the first metal sheet 21 of each of the first and second laminated panels 2 defines an insert hole 214. The folded end portion 224 of the extension 222 of the second metal sheet 22 of one of the first and second laminated panels 2 is fitted into the insert hole 214 in the first metal sheet 21 of the other of the first and second laminated panels 2.

The main portion 223 of the extension 222 of the second metal sheet 22 of one of the first and second laminated panels 2 overlaps the end segment 211 of the first metal sheet 21 of the other of the first and second laminated panels 2.

Each of the first and second metal sheets 21, 22 of each of the first and second laminated panels 2 has an outer surface 215. The outer surface 215 at the main segment 212 of the first metal sheet 21 of one of the first and second laminated panels 2 is flush with the outer surface 215 at the main segment 221, the main portion 223 of the extension 222 and the first segment 2241 of the folded end portion 224 of the extension 222 of the second metal sheet 22 of the other of the first and second laminated panels 2.

With the inclusion of the bent segment 213 of the first metal sheet 21 and the folded end portion 224 of the extension 222 of the second metal sheet 22 in the laminated panel 2 of the architectural material of this invention, the aforesaid drawback associated with the prior art can be alleviated.

With the invention thus explained, it is apparent that various modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the invention be limited only as recited in the appended claims.

extension 132 of the second metal sheet 13 of one of the laminated panels is fitted into the insert recess 124 in the first metal sheet 12 of the other of the laminated panels. The conventional architectural material 1 is disadvantageous in that rain water or moisture tends to penetrate into the insert recess 124, thereby resulting in corrosion of cut ends 1211 of the end segments 121 of the first metal sheet 12 and cut ends 133 of the extensions 132 of the second metal sheet 13 of the laminated panels. 

1. A panel material comprising: a laminated panel including a board having opposite first and second surfaces and formed with a board recess indented from said first surface, a first metal sheet attached to said first surface of said board and having a main segment, an end segment, and a bent segment that extends between and that is bent from said main segment and said end segment so as to protrude therefrom and that is fitted into said board recess, and a second metal sheet having a main segment that is attached to said second surface of said board, and an extension that extends laterally from said main segment, that is disposed to extend laterally of said board, and that has a main portion and a folded end portion extending from said main portion and having first and second segments overlapping each other.
 2. The architectural panel material of claim 1, wherein said first surface of said board has a main section, an end section, and a recessed section that defines said board recess and that extends between and that cooperates with said main section and said end section to define first and second steps, respectively, said first step having a height relative to a bottom of said recessed section that is greater than that of said second step.
 3. The architectural panel material of claim 1, wherein said first and second metal sheets are made from a material selected from the group consisting of a zinc-plated steel sheet, an aluminum-plated steel sheet, an aluminum zinc-plated steel sheet, an aluminum zinc magnesium-plated steel sheet, a paint coated steel sheet, a paint coated aluminum alloy sheet, and combinations thereof.
 4. The panel material of claim 1, wherein said board is made from a material selected from the group of polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, and combinations thereof.
 5. A panel material assembly comprising: first and second laminated panels, each including a board having opposite first and second surfaces and formed with a board recess indented from said first surface, a first metal sheet attached to said first surface of said board and having a main segment, an end segment, and a bent segment that extends between and that is bent from said main segment and said end segment so as to protrude therefrom, that is fitted into said board recess, and that defines an insert hole, and a second metal sheet having a main segment that is attached to said second surface of said board, and an extension that extends laterally from said main segment, that is disposed to extend laterally of said board, and that has a main portion and a folded end portion extending from said main portion and having first and second segments overlapping each other; wherein said folded end portion of said extension of said second metal sheet of said first laminated panel is fitted into said insert hole in said first metal sheet of said second laminated panel.
 6. The architectural panel material assembly of claim 5, wherein said first surface of said board of each of said first and second laminated panels has a main section, an end section, and a recessed section that defines said board recess and that extends between and that cooperates with said main section and said end section to define first and second steps, respectively, said first step having a height relative to a bottom of said recessed section that is greater than that of said second step.
 7. The panel material assembly of claim 5, wherein said main portion of said extension of said second metal sheet of one of said first and second laminated panels overlaps said end segment of said first metal sheet of the other of said first and second laminated panels.
 8. The panel material assembly of claim 7, wherein each of said first and second metal sheets of each of said first and second laminated panels has an outer surface, said outer surface at said main segment of said first metal sheet of one of said first and second laminated panels being flush with said outer surface at said main segment of said second metal sheet of the other of said first and second laminated panels. 